North Santiam steelhead advice

[shrigsahoy]

I'll be camping at Fisherman's Bend at the end of July. I'd love to do some steelhead fishing, but I've never done this before. I'll be bank fishing. Looking for some advice on gear, technique and places from people who know this area.

Thanks in advance.
Jason

 

[autofisher]

Gonna be fly fishing or gear fishing? If it's gear, I would suggest that you get at least an 8 and a half foot pole. Run 10-12 lb main line and run about a 6 lb leader, about 2-3 feet. If you're drifting it with that set up it opens you to a ton of different options. Drifting bait, drifting corkie and yarn, hell you can even drift a pink worm. You can also switch to bobber and jig or bobber and whatever you want to put under there. I would stick to small and dark at that time unless there's a big storm or something that raises the water levels. Mix it up and try different color combos, have fun and pick up after yourself..... the camp hosts up there hate picking up after people.

 

[troutdude]

Bobber and pink power worm, should do well too...at least it works well for the infamous Oregon Guide Buzz Ramsey. He also like floats n' bait (or bait subsitutes).

I'd also toss small black spinners, or use a float with black or purple jigs. And, black n' white jigs are doing well on the south fork.

 

[bigsteel]

pink worms dont work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!just kidding :lol::lol:fishermens bend is great for fishing

 

[halibuthitman]

you should see how well the black ones work!

 

[Specialed]

Night crawler with a corkie can work, I'm thinking I would use a dark corkie right now...

 

[troutdude]

Oh yeah, I forgot about that classic rig. Worm up and above the hook, and a bead between the worm and hook. (Place worm's head nearest to the hook...with tail up the line).

You can also use one of those little Styrofoam balls too, if you don't have a corkie or pearlie.

 

[JeannaJigs]

I heard jigs work decent....

Just word on the street ya know.